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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. craft — a skill
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — a contest
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cell — in biology
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. craft — boats
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. fork — in a road
  20. race — the arms race
  21. prune — to trim
  22. cell — a phone
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wake — a trail

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com